Holy Water
by reenactor43
Summary: Songfic featuring Holy Water by Big and Rich. UY. William abuses Yumi, who turns to Ulrich, who decides to make it right.


**HOLY WATER**

**I DO NOT OWN CODE LYOKO OR ITS CHARACTERS. MAKING THAT CLEAR RIGHT THIS INSTANT. NOR DO I OWN HOLY WATER, SUNG BY BIG AND RICH. THANK YOU.**

Ulrich had gotten on stage with Odd and Nicholas, the three of them constituting most of their band. Yumi, the lead singer, had been led to a chair in the seciton used ot seat the audience. There was a reason for it, and it was one only Ulrich and Odd knew. Ulrich began to think back as he helped set the equipment up for the song they were to perform. It was going to be a surprise for Yumi.

Yumi had recently started seeing William, and from the get-go, the relationship was rocky to put it mildly. He had evolved into an incredibly jealous, abusive individual. Yumi would take his outbursts without anything betraying her emotions, not wanting to give him the satisfaction. Then the abuse went from verbal to physical. Yumi had never really had a use for wearing make-up, no reason until William began leaving bruises. She stayed with it, hoping that he would somehow change. William never did, and finally it got to be too much for her to handle. Finally, she got up the courage to tell Ulrich about it. She knocked on the door to the dorm Ulrich and Odd shared.

"Just a sec!" Ulrich came to the door and opened it to see Yumi there.

"Hey Yumes! Is everything okay?"

"Not really. Can I come in?"

"Sure. Let me try to clear some room for you on my bed. Come on in."

"Thanks." Her voice had begun to waver, Ulrich noticed. That alone had made him begin to worry. _'What could be so bad that she gets like this?'_ Ulrich did not like thinking about the possibilities. None of the ones he had considered were remotely close to what she was about to say.

"Ulrich, I.. I.." She then broke down. Ulrich sat down beside her and wrapped her in his arms. She winches at the contact, her battered body protesting, tear beginning to flow.

"Yumi, what's wrong?" Yumi sobs, not able to speak. She only motions toward her shirt.

"Yumi, I'm sorry but I won't lift your shirt up. I don't want to seem like I'm taking advantage of you."

"Please," she managed to whisper, "you need to see this." Reluctantly he lifts the hem of her shirt, then gasps at the purple and red marks on her side and lower back.

"Yumi, who.. who did this to you?"

"If I tell you, please don't do anything right now. Let it go for a little while. Please."

"I promise. I won't try anything. Just tell me who did this."

"It was William. He.. he started out as verbally abusive. Then he progressed. I took it until I couldn't anymore." She begins sobbing anew.

"Yumi... Shh, Yumi. I've got you. I won't let go. I promise. I also promise that William wil be held accountable for what he's done to you. Did he hurt you i any other way?" She shook her head.

"It hadn't gotten to that level. I wanted to get out before it did."

"Tell you what, why don't we go to your place and get you some stuff to sleep in and wear for tomorrow. Aelita, I'm sure, will be glad to have a room-mate even if it's for a night."

"Okay."

"Well, then, come on. I'll walk to your place." He stands, then helps Yumi to her feet. He takes her hadn as they walk out of the gates. They walk to her house quickly, watching out for William. Fortunately, he is nowhere to be seen. Yumi and Ulrich go up her front steps, but Ulrich stays back on the porch.

"I'll wait here for you."

"No. You better come in. It would help me if you were there when I face my parents."

"Okay. I'll come in. For you, Yumi."

"Thank you. It means so much to me to know that I have you to lean on Ulrich."

"You'll always have me to lean on." Yumi opened her front door, and Ulrich followed her into her home. Yumi's father is sitting in the living room reading the newspaper when she walks in.

"Yumi, where have you been? We've been expecting you for over half an hour now."

"Sir, I can help explain that."

"Oh? And you are who exactly?"

"Ulrich Stern, sir. Your daughter came to me, looking for help with a personal issue."

"Personal issue? What kind of personal issue?"

Yumi walks in front of Ulrich to speak to her father.

"It's not what you think."

"Not what I think? How do you know what I am thinking?"

"You're probably thinking that he has gotten me pregnant."

"Well, as a matter of fact..."

"He has not. He is helping me through a tough time right now."

"Daughter, I only wish to know what you are talking about." Yumi again lifts the hem of her shirt to reveal the angry bruises and welts.

"Who did this to you?"

"Not Ulrich."

"Sir, she came to me this afternoon with these injuries. The person responsible will not make the same mistake again. I will make sure of it." As Ulrich spoke, the determination to back up what he said was evident on his face. Yumi went upstairs to her room and gathered up clothes for the next day. Then she came back downstairs where Ulrich was waiting for her.

"Shall we go?"

"Yes, please. Father, I will be back tomorrow."

"Very well. Young man, you take care of her."

"I will." Ulrich takes Yumi back to the campus, and together they go to find Aelita and the rest of the gang. They find the gang in the cafeteria eating dinner.

"Hey guys."

"Yumi? Shouldn't you be at your place right now? What about your parents?"

"My parents know I'm here. Besides, we should be worried about them right now. We have bigger problems." Yumi's serious tone is noticed and the other immediately take notice. Ulrich wraps his arm around her waist in a comforting gesture.

"You guys know I have been seeing William. It started out great. Then it went downhill. He got possesive and jealous. Then he got abusive." Yumi continued telling her tale, suddenly feeling like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She finishes speaking, and takes a shaky breath. She leans against Ulrich, who just pulls her close to him and supports her.

"So what do we do about WIlliam?"

"I have a plan in mind."

"Do you need any help?"

"Thanks, but no thanks Odd. I will take care of this myself. William made it personal."

"Alright. So what do we do?"

"Aelita, can Yumi stay with you tonight?"

"Of course. It'll be fun, Yumi, just you and me all night."

"That does sound enticing."

"In the morning, I'll find William and take care of it."

"Be careful."

"You know I will." The night passes without incident. The next morning, Ulrich walks to Yumi's house. Halfway there, he meets William.

"William."

"Oh, hey Ulrich. Have you seen Yumi? Her parents said that she wasn't there?"

"Why do you want to see her? So you can beat her again?"

William nervously chuckles. "Come on, man, where did you get such an idea?"

"From the source. I've seen what you've done. I've heard what you've done. Now I'm warning you; stay away from her."

"Is that a threat, Stern? Maybe I should let the cops know that you're doing this?"

"You do that. When they come for me, I'll be more than happy to let them in on your dirty little secret."

"You say that Yumi told you, huh?"

"That's right, WIlliam. She even showed me the bruises and welts that you left."

"That trash! I should have ended it a long time ago!"

"So you admit it?"

"Yeah,I admit it. Not like you didn't know anyway."

"Well, I'll be seeing you, William. From outside your cell. Next time, make sure the guy talking to you doesn't have a wire on him."

"What?" William is then socked by Ulrich, a right hook to the jaw that sends William sprawling in the dirt on the side of the road.

"Not so tough now are you, you coward!" Ulrich walks away, leaving a dazed William on the ground, clenching his jaw. Ulrich walks back to the school and finds the gang waiting for him.

"Well?"

"It went great. Jeremy, nice work cooking up a wire for me."

"Well, I can't take all the credit. Aelita came up with the idea."

"Thanks to you, too Aelita, not only for the wire idea, but also for taking these pictures of Yumi's bruises. Yumi, do you feel up to going to the principal with this?"

"Yes, I do."

"Hey Ulrich, what happened to William anyway?"

"I gave him a good right hook and left him on the ground."

"Serves him right."

"Yumi, let's go. Mr. Delmas will want to hear what we have to say right away." The pair walk straight to the principal's office. Ulrich walks up to Nicole, the secretary and asks, "Is Mr. Delmas in? We need to speak with him. It's an urgent matter."

"Hold on just one second. Mr. Delmas?"

"Yes?"

"I have two sudents that need to see you. They say it is an urgent matter."

"Send them in."

"Alright, go ahead."

"Thank you."

"Mr. Delmas."

"Mr. Stern, Ms. Ishiyama. How can I be of help?"

"We have something you need to hear, and some things you need to see."

"Regarding what exactly?"

"William Dunbar has been abusing me."

"I see. What proof do you have of this?"

"Photographs of the injuries and also a recorded confession by Dunbar himself."

"Hmm. Let me see these photographs." The photos are handed over without a word. Delmas looks them over carefully.

"Now let me hear this recording that you have. Ulrich reaches in his pocket and pulls out the recorder.

"Yumi, I'm not sure that you want to hear this. He uses some low insults against you."

"I'm fine. Knowing that he won't do it again is enough for me." Ulrich nods, noting Yumi's strength once again.

"Okay." Ulrich presses the play button, and the recorder plays the conversation that was had just minutes before. At the moment of Ulrich revalation that he was wearing a wire, the recording ends. Delmas leans back in his chair, thinking about the possible courses of action he could take. Finally, he makes a decision.

"Thank you two very much. You may go. I will give you passes for whatever class you are going to."

"If I may ask, what will happen to William."

"I will draw up paperwork to have him sent form the school immediately. Where is Mr. Dunbar anyway?"

"Sir, there are some things that you are better off not knowing." The pair leaves the office with passes in hand.

After that, the pair never had to worry about William again. Mr. Delmas had him expelled for his actions, and Ulrich and Yumi had grown closer. The memories that Yumi had would nver really fade, but Ulrich wanted to let her know that he would always be there for her. That's why he was up on the stage with Odd and Nicholas. Ulrich strode over to the keyboard and Odd picked up his guitar, while Nicholas readied himself for the song. Ulrich and Odd had told him what song they would perform. Odd and Ulrich began to play, Nicholas joining soon after. Ulrich grabbed the mike as he and Odd began to sing.

_Somewhere there's a stolen halo  
I used to watch her wear it well  
Everything would shine wherever she would go  
But looking at her now you'd never tell__  
And she says take me away  
And take me farther  
Surround me now  
And hold, hold, hold me like holy water  
Holy water__She wants some__one to call her angel  
Someone to put the light back in her eyes  
She's looking through the faces  
The unfamiliar places  
She needs someone to hear her when she cries  
__  
__And she says take me away  
And take me farther  
Surround me now  
And hold, hold, hold me like holy water  
Holy water_

_Someone ran away with her innocence  
A memory she can't get out of her head  
I can only imagine what she's feeling  
When she's praying  
Kneeling at the edge of her bed_

_She just needs a little help  
To wash away the pain she's felt  
She wants to feel the healing hands  
Of someone who understands_

_And she says take me away  
And take me farther  
Surround me now  
And hold, hold, hold me  
And she says take me away  
And take me farther  
Surround me now  
And hold, hold, hold me like holy water  
Holy water_

As Yumi listened to the song, she realized that it was meant for her. Tears began to form in her eyes. Ulrich stepped away from the keyboard and walked to the forn of the stage, then sat down. He continued singing, looking right at her, his eyes conveying the message that the song was unable to. His eyes were saying that he would gladly be the one to help her through all the pain; he was willing to be the understanding one for her. She nodded to let him know that she wanted to have him be the one to help her. Then she quietly walked out of the doors, and sat down at the bench where they all would congregate. After the song finished, Ulrich jumped down off the stage and walked outside. He saw her on the bench. Ulrich walked over to the bench and sat down beside her. They sat in silence for a few minutes.

"Ulrich?"

"Yes Yumi?"

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"I really appreciate everything you've done for me."

"Yumi, I would have done that for you at anytime. All you had to do was ask. I'd do anything for you."

"You mean that?"

"Absolutely." Yumi leans over and kisses him on the cheek and says, "Thank you for proving that I could count on you." Ulrich repeats the gesture and says, "If you ever need to talk, you're always welcome to come over to my room."

"I'll keep that in mind." Yumi stands, about to go, when Ulrich stops her.

"Hey Yumi?"

"Yeah?"

"Just want you to know something. I love you." Yumi stands there, shocked at the honesty that can be heard in his voice.

"I.. I.. I love you too." Ulrich stands and walks to her. He wraps her in a hug and kisses her again.

"I'lll see you tomorrow, Yumes."

"Yeah, see you tomorrow."

And thus began their relationship, one that would undergo trials and tribulations, only to come out stronger.


End file.
